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grubs or a single large one being given daily. These it ate with 

 such evident eagerness and avidity as to suggest that the animal 

 was accustomed to that kind of food. Occasionally it was offered 

 beetles of a species that is found under the porcupine clumps, but 

 thouo-h these disappeared from the box, it is not certain that they 

 were actually eaten. Ants, also, were tried with a previous 

 specimen, but it seemed as if it was the Notoryctes which ran the 

 risk of being eaten. Strong support is afforded to the sugges- 

 tion that the " witch ety " forms a part, at least, of its diet by the 

 fact that, as previously observed, acacias are plentiful in the 

 sandhills, which seem to be the natural haunt of the animal, and 

 the larvjB in question are found in their roots at a depth of a foot 

 or more. The suggestion is also confirmed by the statements of 

 the natives and by the observations of Mr. Bishop himself, who 

 found traces of underground burrowings around the stems of the 

 acacia bushes. Still, it is not clear how the " witcheties," which 

 are buried in the wood, are dislodged. 



The aborigines declare that in the cold weather " oor-quamata 

 no more walk about," and that they like damp sand, which con- 

 firms the statement previously made that they can only be found 

 in warm weather after rain. Nevertheless, on one occasion two 

 living specimens were placed, with the usual precautions, in a 

 box containing two feet of damp sand, but they were found dead 

 after the succeeding frosty night, though the box was well 

 protected ; the result being, in Mr. Bishop's opinion, due to the 

 fact that there was not a sufficient depth of sand to enable them 

 to get out of range of the effect of the frost, and he thus believes 

 that in their wild state they must burrow to a considerable 

 depth. With a winter experience of the climate in question, I 

 do not think the frost, though undoubtedly sharp at times, could 

 ever penetrate far below the surface of the ground. 



When inspected in the box the oor-quamata would usually be 

 found lying curled up in the sand, but not covered by it ; and 

 when the hand was put down immediately in front the little 

 animal would climb into it and " claw it all over." It seemed 

 quick of liearing, and always awakened immediately on lifting the 

 lid of the box. A very slight whistling noise was sometimes 

 made while the specimen, kept so long in captivity, was burrowing 

 about in the box ; but it was not certain whether this was a 

 respiratory or a true voice sound ; and a previous specimen was 

 heard, when held, to make a faint chirping like that of a newly- 

 hatched chick. None of the other specimens, however, emitted 

 any sound that was audible. 



Whenever the sand was changed by a fresh, warm, and moist 

 supply the animal immediately commenced to burrow, and on 

 Avarm sunny days, when it was let out in the open, it would, if the 



